Garnett’s tough cover

Posted By
Paul Flannery
On
May 18, 2010 @ 11:45 am
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General |
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ORLANDO — Whenever he is asked about the toughest players to cover in the NBA, Kevin Garnett[1] always pays respect to Rashard Lewis. At 6-foot-10, Lewis is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, but he also can put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket.

Lewis shot 2-for-10 in Game 1 and scored just six points, a far cry from last season’s playoff matchup when the Celtics[2] couldn’t come up with an effective counter without Garnett in the lineup.

“KG was phenomenal,” Doc Rivers[3] said. “Not only with Rashard, but with help and recovering. We’re asking him to recover from pick and roll angle to 3. Usually you recover from pick and roll to roll where you’re running under the basket. That’s the complete opposite direction. For him to train his mind to do that is really tough to do. With Rashard, you show [on the pick and roll] and you have to sprint the opposite direction. Eighty games of going that way and now you’re going this way, mentally that is really difficult. You can even see it in practice where he shows and takes a step this way, with Rashard if you take that one, you’re not getting back in time. He did a great job in Game 1.”

Garnett’s offense did not come as readily. He shot 4-for-14 and found himself out on the perimeter. Credit the Magic defense with making it difficult for him to get the ball in the post.

“They double team without the ball,” Rivers said. “You don’t see that very often. With [Kendrick Perkins[4]] in there or [Rajon] Rondo[5], they use their guy to front and back Kevin so you can’t get it to him. We have to get it to him on movement plays. Once we get it to him I feel very confident.”